Solid ovoscope

ABSTRACT

A solid ovoscope having an outer plastic shell and an inner refringent body for use in visualizing amniotic contents and fetal assessment during pregnancy.

s1! 1 W KR 3:724:44 WWW WWW 1 m ,f 3,724,448 mm [451 Apr. 3, W73

54] SQLHD OVOSCOPE 2,482,971 9 1949 Golson "128,16 W61 me RodriguesLima, dc 5:323:15 131132; i'filf a rzzst .1111151)??? Cwpacabana 4031M"dc 3,413,067 11/1968 Froio ..128/6 x Janeiro, Brazil [22] Filed: Oct.16, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 81,307

[52] U.S. Cl ..128/6 [51] lint. Cl. ..A6l|l1 1/00 [58] Field of Search..l28/6, 7', 8, 9

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,102,274 12/1937 Larimore..l28/6 Primary Examiner-Lucie H. Laudenslager Att0mey-John Lezdey innerrefringent body for use in visualizing amniotic 7 contents and fetalassessment during pregnancy.

2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTED 1 975 I 3.724.448

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INVENTOR JORGE RODRIGUES LIMA ATTORNEY SOLID OVOSCOPE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The advances in prenatal physiopathology have shown theimportance of amnioscopy. Scalp blood sampling during delivery and fetalE.C.G. tacometry have proven the most reliable method of assessing fetalwelfare. Both methods involve visibility and accessibility to the fetalhead.

E. Saling describes in the article, Die Amnioskopie, lin nenes Vergabrenzum Erkennen von Gefabrenzustanden des Folten bei noch stehanderFruchtblase. Gefurtah.W.Franenheilk, 22, p. 830 1962, a special conicamnioscope having illuminating equipment for inspecting amniotic fluidthrough the intact membranes. It has the primary disadvantage in that itis introduced blindly into the vagina so that there is a danger ofrupturing the membranes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an ovoscope which canbe used for clinical observation of a patient during pregnancy. Moreparticularly, this invention relates to a solid amnioscope whichutilizes a transparent refringent body in the form of a prism forclinical and/or photographic inspection of the amniotic fluid and fetalwelfare during pregnancy.

The amnioscope of this invention comprises a rectangular prism of atransparent refringent body in an outer shell.

The outer shell of the amnioscope has internal walls capable ofreflecting all internal rays. Preferably, the outer shell is a removableplastic or fiberglass shell having polished mirror-like internal wallsthat fit over the lateral surfaces of the prism leaving both basesuncovered.

The prism may be made from any refractory material. Preferably, theprisms of this invention are made of acrylic resins or plastics sincethey are light weight, easy to machine and also resistant to manychemical attacks.

The ovoscope may be of any length or width depending on use. Where theovoscope comprises a rectangular acryllic prism with one of its basesmachined into a 12 truncated cone the following dimensions have beenfound to be most effective:

1. For pre-labor use: an ovoscope having about 27 X 40 mm base; mm indiameter tip, and about 200 mm length;

2. For use during labor: an ovoscope having about 27 X 40 mm base; 18 mmin diameter tip, and about 180 mm length;

3. For photography during labor: an ovoscope having about 24 X 40 mmbase; mm in diameter tip, and about 150 mm diameter length.

A suitable cover for the bases may be used. It has been found that forblood sampling or electrode implantation, the ovoscope should beintroduced with the cover. Once the fetus is reached and an adequatesection of the presenting part is chosen, the solid core is withdrawn,the cover is kept in place and the blood sampling or electrodeimplantation is performed.

The cover may be made of the same material as the shell portion.

It is an object of this invention to provide a means for visualizingamniotic contents and fetal welfare during p sn yl 1s a urther ob ect ofthis invention to provide a light weight, inexpensive ovoscope which maybe used for clinical inspection and photography. a

While the foregoing objects are paramount, other and lesser objects andadvantages of this invention will become apparent as the descriptionproceeds when considered in connection with the appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view of the ovoscope ofthis invention, without cover;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustrating the internal reflection and lightconcentration within the ovoscope of FIG. 1;

' FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of the phenomenon ofapproximation when using the ovoscope of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows a solid ovoscope10 having a removable fiberglass shell 11 and a rectangular acrylicprism 12 having one end 12a machined into a 12 truncated cone.

FIG. 2 illustrates the optical characteristics of the ovoscope 10. Itcan be seen that divergent light from a light source enters the widerbase of the prism 12 and is reflected by the internal walls Ila of thefiberglass shell ill. The internal walls 11a reflect all light rayswhich i have an insertional angle smaller than the refractory angle ofthe acrylic prism 12. It can thereby be seen that the optical qualitiesof acrylic and any other trans parent refrigent material associated withthe adequate form and angle of the external surface leads to lightconcentration on the opposite base. This concentration is inverselyproportional to the area of the internal base. i

In FIG. 3, there is illustrated the phenomenon of approximation whenviewing an object B-C whereby the image B'C' appears larger and nearerthe observer.

In the use of the ovoscope of this invention the patient is kept in agynecological position and a digital exand a wide variety of embodimentsmay be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

What is claimed is: v 1. A solid ovoscope consisting essentially of aremovable outer fiberglass. shell and an inner plastic refringent bodyhaving its base portions uncovered, said refringent body being anacrylic prism having one end forming a 12 truncated cone. 7

2. The ovoscope of claim 1 wherein the base portion opposite thetruncated cone has a rectangular configuration.

1. A solid ovoscope consisting essentially of a removable outerfiberglass shell and an inner plastic refringent body having its baseportions uncovered, said refringent body being an acrylic prism havingone end forming a 12* truncated cone.
 2. The ovoscope of claim 1 whereinthe base portion opposite the truncated cone has a rectangularconfiguration.